Botswana Diamonds to start Orapa drilling programme in September

The two targets to be drilled are in the northern part of the 2.9 sq km PL117 block. The targets, identified from recent work by Sunland Minerals, the 50/50 joint venture between Alrosa and Botswana Diamonds, are prospective for the discovery of kimberlite bodies. Verification drilling depth will be 100 metres and after the core is studied in Botswana, specimens and samples will be sent for analysis to St Petersburg.

The final report from Sunland Minerals prepared by Alrosa geologists that will outline opportunities arising from the detailed analysis of field data collected by the joint venture in recent months will be received within days, Botswana Diamonds said.

The company said an extensive work programme is being finalised on the new licences recently awarded to the joint venture and that an enlarged team of Alrosa geologists, geophysicists and mineralogists will join the Botswana Diamonds team in Botswana in the middle of September.

“Activity is quickening in our Sunland joint venture with Alrosa, the largest diamond producer in the world,” said Botswana Diamonds chairman John Teeling. “In September we will drill holes on each of two previously unknown anomalies on the PL117 block in Orapa, Botswana.  These are verification holes targeting kimberlites.

“The final results of the geochemical, geophysical and mineralogical analyses carried out on the fieldwork data collected earlier will be received by Botswana Diamonds in the coming days.  I have expectations that the results will be positive.

“We are also finalising an extensive Orapa exploration programme on our new ground also starting in September.

“It has taken two years of painstaking data gathering and analysis to get to first drilling.  The programme is eagerly anticipated.”